Special Report: Putting Solar Power to Work in Michigan

Michigan is far behind other states in generating solar power. But it’s hardly a cloud-cover problem: After all, solar is soaring in states no sunnier than ours.

What Michigan has is a solar policy problem—no strong incentives, minimums or “carve outs” for solar in its renewable energy mandates, and plenty of market, regulatory, and utility barriers making home and small business solar unrewarding.

Last year DTE Energy and Consumers Energy tried to discontinue their tiny solar “pilot” programs, which over three years facilitated about 10 megawatts of customer-installed solar panels. This at a time when sharply falling panel and installation costs, special federal tax deductions, and strong pro-solar policies in many states—including cloudy ones like New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania—are producing a veritable explosion of new solar development around the country.

Michigan’s solar community pointed out the problem, and the Michigan Public Service Commission formed a “solar work group”—MPSC staff, utility representatives, and solar business advocates—to find next steps for the utilities’ fledging solar initiatives.

The group, which meets in Lansing once every three weeks, will draft a report in May. MPSC staff will finalize the report in June and could recommend action to MPSC commissioners at that time.

The Michigan Land Use Institute, which is part of the work group, is reporting on these meetings—which might create a significant, even historic turning point for the rise of solar power in Michigan.